rcnfandomcom-20200214-history
The Far Side of the Stars
|series_number = 3 |release_date = October 1, 2003 |isbn = 074347158X }} The Far Side of the Stars is the third novel of David Drake's RCN series, published in 2003. Plot While the Republic of Cinnabar is at peace with the Alliance, warriors like Daniel Leary and Adele Mundy must find other work--like escorting a pair of wealthy nobles on an expedition to the back of beyond! The Princess Cecile, the corvette in which they carved their reputations in letters of fire, has been sold as a private yacht, but she still has her guns, her missiles, and her veteran crew. Daniel and Adele will need all of those things as they face winged dragons, an Alliance auxiliary cruiser, jealous lovers, and a mysterious oracle which really does foresee the future. Detailed Plot In , shortly after his return from the Strymon system, Lieutenant Daniel Leary has the sad duty of taking care of the funeral arrangements for his favorite uncle, Commander Stacey Bergen, the legendary explorer who inspired him to join the Republic of Cinnabar Navy. Meanwhile, the Princess Cecile is being sold, as Cinnabar's latest war with the Alliance of Free Stars has come to an end. However, Lieutenant Mon explains to Leary that the Klimovs, a wealthy couple from Novy Sverdlovsk, want to charter the Princess Cecile as a private yacht to tour the Galactic North under Mon's command. On the way back from the funeral, Adele Mundy and her entourage are attacked by armed thugs sent by Marina Rolfe, whom Mundy took her family's townhouse from. They overwhelm the attackers and proceed to a meeting with one "Captain Carnolets". Leary and his people come to her aid and have some trouble with the investigating militia. Mundy meets with her contact, which turns out to be her superior with the intelligence service, Bernis Sand. She explains that there is an Alliance naval base being built on a moon in the Commonwealth of God, a nation in the Galactic North. Sand wants Mundy to investigate by going with the Klimovs aboard the Princess Cecile. At the ship's paying off ceremony, Leary informs Mon that he has inherited his uncle's controlling share in a shipyard, and that he wants Mon to serve as its new yard manager. He than proceeds to meet the Klimovs, who are happy to hire the Hero of Kostroma and Strymon as their new ship's master. He hires his former RCN crew to work for him personally. The Princess Cecile is refitted into a yacht and goes on its first tour as a civilian vessel. Their journey takes them to 4795-C, a planet with ruins for Countess Klimovna to explore, and wild animals for her husband to shoot. However, the local wildlife turns out to be too much for them, and they quickly leave and proceed to Todos Santos, the planet where the crew of the RCN battleship ''Aristoxenos'' settled down after their involvement in the Three Circles Conspiracy. They contact Adele, who is a cousin of one of the officers, and make it clear that they seek to return to Cinnabar. Later, they come to the aid of Leary and his men when a fight breaks out over a card game Count Klimov participated in. After getting away from the crew of the Alliance auxiliary cruiser Goldenfels, the 'Princess Cecile continues her journey, heading for the remote colony world of Tegeli. The local noblemen greet them with great enthusiasm, and Adele finds some interesting data on the whereabouts of the Earth Diamond. However, the festivities are soon interrupted when there is a violent clash over the Counts indiscretion with their host's wife. After an embarassing scene, they quickly leave the planet. They continue to Morzanga, a world whose small population has reverted to a primitve level. The locals lead them to a wrecked starship nearby, and they soon realize the crew survived and sired the natives. When witnessing the funeral of a local man, they find that one of the artifacts used in the ceremony is a copy of the Earth Diamond. At this point, the Goldenfels appears in orbit. References Characters Josh Anston • Maggie Anston • Aussarenes • Austine • Barnes • Maryam Bergen • Stacey Bergen • Bert • Blaisdell • Britten • Buelow's • Carnolets • Chewning • Dorst • Ector • Estrella • Feininger • Greiner • Hattersly • Hogg • Jarre • Keith • Georgi Klimov • Valentina Klimovna • Train of Lakeside • Layton • Corder Leary • Daniel Leary • Deirdre Leary • Lon • Lorenz • Mamie • Manuel • Margolla • Mon • Morris • Adele Mundy • Agatha Mundy • Lucius Mundy • O'Quinn • Pakenham • Pasternak • Porra • William Pakenham • Enrique Pansuela • Flora Pansuela • Adrian Purvis • Queriman • Ayesha Ramos • Marina Casaubon Rolfe • Rosario • Sakama • Bernis Sand • Oliver Semmes • Rafael Semmes • Enzio Shackleford • Stobart • Timmons • Tovera • John Tsetzes • Wilsing • Ellie Woetjans Starships * [[RCS Aristoxenos|RCS Aristoxenos]] * [[RCS Bourgiba|RCS Bourgiba]] * [[RCS Burke|RCS Burke]] * [[RCS Clyde|RCS Clyde]] * [[RCS Diana|RCS Diana]] * [[RCS Excellence|RCS Excellence]] * [[RCS Granite|RCS Granite]] * [[RCS Kapila|RCS Kapila]] * [[RCS Melampus|RCS Melampus]] * [[RCS Princess Cecile|RCS Princess Cecile]] * [[RCS Seahorse|RCS Seahorse]] * [[AFS Bluecher|AFS Bluecher]] * [[AFS Nymphe|AFS Nymphe]] Nations * Alliance of Free Stars * Republic of Cinnabar * Commonwealth of God * Commonwealth of Kostroma Locations 115A3 4795-C • Alexandreios • Alicia • Charax IV • Condon's Planet • Earth • Enzio Shackleford Company • Galactic North • Gehenna • Harbor One • Harbor Three • Lorenz Base • Lusa City Maranham • Morzanga • Novy Sverdlovsk • Palace of Delegates • Pentacrest Circle • Portsmouth • Radiance • Sexburga • Skyland • Speaker's Rock • Stanislas Chapel • Straw Pile • Strymon System • Tanais • Ten Star Cluster • Tegeli • Todos Santos • Tule Creek • Webster Stars • Xenos • Xerxes Two Other aircar • Austine • Bergen and Associates • Collesio • corvette • Cuvier Catalogue • dragon • Earth Diamond • firebugs • First Alliance War • Hiatus • High Drive • Maranham cypress • Pentacrest Vale • Popular Party • RCN Shore Police • Salmson Catalog • St. Regis • Three Circles Conspiracy • Universal • Williams and Son External links * [http://www.baenebooks.com/p-140-the-far-side-of-the-stars.aspx The Far Side of the Stars] in the Baen Free Library